“Blackpool doesn’t have fluoride in its water, like some other places, and you can see that in the figures regarding tooth decay. So this is another approach.

“But it would only be introduced on the basis that parents can choose if they want their children to have the milk.

“If the board does agree to it on Wednesday, the next step will be to consult with schools and parents.”

All 11,000 primary school children in Blackpool are already offered milk as part of the free school breakfast scheme, and the process of adding fluoride is not expected to add to the cost.

A report to the Health and Wellbeing Board says 37 per cent of five-year-olds in Blackpool have at least one decayed, missing or filled tooth, compared to 31 per cent nationally.

Children in the town have 3.85 unhealthy teeth on average, compared to 3.45 nationally. At age 12, 43 per cent of Blackpool children have at least one unhealthy tooth, compared to 33.4 per cent nationally.

The report says: “Dental milk schemes, using milk fortified with fluoride, are widely accepted as the next best option if water fluoridation cannot be achieved.”

He said: “I have practised dentistry in a few areas of the country and have seen the effect of fluoride in these areas. Research comparing Birmingham, where there is fluoride in the water, with Bolton, where there is no fluoride, showed levels of dental decay, especially in children, slashed by 50 per cent where there was fluoride.

“Fluoride in milk would also definitely help improve the health of children’s teeth especially here in Blackpool where there are still waiting lists for NHS dentists.”

Dr Bagasi, who is also a member of the Fylde Coast Local Dental Committee, said fears about the side effects of fluoride were unfounded.

But Doug Cross, of UK Councils Against Fluoridation which is based in Ulverston, said: “Giving a blanket medication to every child in Blackpool is not the way to go. There is no sound scientific evidence that it would help reduce tooth decay.

“Our advice would be for the council to consider spending money on a school dental service.”

Blackpool would become the 11th local authority area to provide milk containing flouride after St Helens, Knowsley, Wirral, West Cheshire, Manchester, Trafford, Leeds, Sheffield, Barnsley and Doncaster.